The EU wants companies to report when they have been a victim of a cyber attack in an attempt to combat hacking.

Neelie Kroes, the EU Commissioner for the digital agenda, said that more transparency was needed to raise the profile of cyber security and enable co-operation to strengthen it. But the EU’s proposals, due to be published next month, are likely to raise concerns about the reputational damage that companies will suffer as a result.

Ms Kroes would not provide details of the measures or say whether they would also apply to governments, but said: “There is a still